Politics

Critics are calling on Quebec Premier François Legault to take a firmer and more public stance against U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs and follow Ontario counterpart Doug Ford‘s lead. Opposition parties and experts in Quebec are accusing Legault of being noticeably absent from the public and not vocal enough during the economic crisis when it comes to publicly defending the province and country amid the trade war.This comes as Premier Ford was headed to Washington Thursday for a meeting with U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, and Legault took to X to call on Liberal Leader Mark Carney to meet with all premiers “to better plan the retaliation against the U.S.” once he’s sworn in as prime minister, which is set to happen Friday.“He is the only one who can defend and protect our in...

U.S. President Donald Trump’s nominee for ambassador to Canada on Thursday reaffirmed the importance of the U.S.-Canada relationship and Canadian sovereignty, despite escalating attacks from the White House. Pete Hoekstra said during his confirmation hearing in front of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee that Canada remains an important ally on intelligence and national security issues, which can be maintained and strengthened while addressing matters around trade.Yet senators voiced concern about Trump’s repeated calls to make Canada the 51st U.S. state, which the president has said he will use “economic force” to achieve.“Canada is a sovereign state,” Hoekstra said.He appeared to attribute Trump’s rhetoric to the frosty relationship he has with outgoing Prime Minister Justin Tru...

Descrease article font size Increase article font size After nearly 20 years in federal politics, Mark Holland says “it’s time to go home,” announcing he will not run in the upcoming election. Holland, who has served as health minister since 2023, announced his decision in a post on X, thanking volunteers, advocates and friends for “letting me fight alongside you.”“From the deepest parts of my heart; thank you,” Holland wrote.The decision not to run for re-election comes after serving as MP for Ajax since 2015.He had also served as MP for Ajax-Pickering from 2004 until 2011 where he lost the seat in the Conservatives majority victory in that election. 5:53 ...

U.S. President Donald Trump repeated his frequently-voiced desire to acquire Canada and Greenland on Thursday — this time with the leader of NATO sitting next to him. “I think it will happen,” Trump said when asked by a reporter about the U.S. taking over Greenland during an Oval Office meeting with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte.“I’m sitting with a man that could be very instrumental — you know Mark, we need that for international security,” he continued, turning to Rutte.The secretary-general said he did not “want to drag NATO into” a conversation about the U.S. acquiring Greenland, but acknowledged the importance of Arctic security and northern countries working together “under U.S. leadership” to combat China and Russia.Asked about tariffs on Canada, Trump spoke of his grievances wi...

By Staff The Canadian Press Posted March 13, 2025 3:11 pm 1 min read Descrease article font size Increase article font size New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt says it’s unlikely the province will cut off the electricity NB Power supplies to northern Maine as the trade war with the United States drags on, but she says that could change. Holt made the comment today during the first of weekly briefings aimed at keeping New Brunswickers informed about the province’s response to the economic and emotional fallout from the tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump.The premier spent much of the hour-long news conference reassuring ...

Pierre Poilievre’s Conservative party and a conservative-linked pressure group are ratcheting up digital advertising targeting Mark Carney amidst a Liberal resurgence in national polls. The Conservatives’ latest English-language ad labels Carney as “sneaky” – Poilievre and co.’s preferred nickname for the former central banker – and was blasted out 198 times since March 11, two days after Carney’s landslide victory in the Liberal leadership race.That’s in addition to ads the party has been running referring to “Carbon Tax Carney” – despite the Liberal leader’s pledge to get rid of consumer carbon pricing – and suggesting U.S. President Donald Trump would seize on Carney’s “weakness,” which have been running since Feb. 28.In both cases, the ads were targeted mostly at voters in Ontario and ...

Descrease article font size Increase article font size On his last day in office, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he will “always be boldly and unapologetically Canadian.” Trudeau released a video from his office on his X account Thursday, a day before Liberal Leader Mark Carney is set to be sworn in as Canada’s 24th prime minister.“I am so proud of Canadians. I’m proud to have served a country full of people who stand up for what’s right, rise to every occasion and always have each other’s backs when it matters most,” Trudeau said in his farewell message. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen....

As Ontario Premier Doug Ford heads to Washington, D.C., for a meeting at the White House, his threat to tariff or cut off U.S. energy remains on the table and could return after the high-stakes date. Ford and his team are set to fly in and out of the U.S. capital on Thursday for a meeting with President Donald Trump’s commerce secretary, Howard Lutnick. The result of those talks could calm or reignite trade tensions.The meeting comes after a whirlwind week in which Ontario levelled a 25 per cent surcharge on the energy it exports to the U.S. before Trump responded on Tuesday by threatening his own 50 per cent tariff on steel and aluminum.His team called Ford’s threat to cut off power “egregious and insulting” and promised to batter Canada with economic retaliation.Hours later, Lutnick had ...

The divide between Canadians and Americans was felt throughout the check-in lanes in the U.S. departures wing at Halifax Stanfield International Airport. As George Bell and his wife embarked their adventure to Colombia, they were faced with an undesired layover in the United States.“It was unavoidable,” Bell said. “If there was another route that was economical and the time frame would have worked out, we would have preferred it.”With plans to retire with his wife at their Florida property, he considered cutting those ties to south of the border since the news of tariffs first came to light.“We had a trip planned for Florida in the spring and we cancelled it,” Bell said. “I also had a second one to Utah, mountain biking in September — cancelled it.” Story continues below advertisem...

By Dylan Robertson The Canadian Press Posted March 13, 2025 7:30 am 1 min read Descrease article font size Increase article font size A major foreign-policy summit is underway in Quebec Thursday, with the Liberals welcoming foreign ministers from the U.S., Europe and Japan. The Group of Seven ministerial meeting is taking place in the Charlevoix region, just as Canada seeks support against damaging American tariffs.The leaders are set to discuss the functioning of the G7 Thursday, as well as geopolitical challenges ranging from Haiti to Sudan. 0:41 ...